Name/Title
Shakespeare’s pharmaceuticalsDescription
Shakespeare was familiar with anatomy and pharmaceuticals.
BELLADONNA. In ancient times dilated pupils were a sign of beauty so the anticholinergic atropine, (or belladonna translated as beautiful woman), was in popular use. In “Romeo and Juliet” Juliet took belladonna to dilate her pupils to help her feign death. Atropine is sometimes used during resuscitation efforts so dilated pupils should be disregarded as a physical finding.
HENBANE. In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” King Hamlet was murdered by his brother Claudius when he pours “juice of cursed henbane” in the sleeping king’s ear. Shakespeare would have had to have known that the middle ear eustachian tube eventually connects with the gastrointestinal tract.
Enclosed are examples of those two herbs, both produced by Eli Lilly.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodDate Examined
Aug 21, 2026Create Date
August 21, 2026Update Date
August 23, 2026